


Episode 74: Dovin

by PitoyaPTx



Series: Clan Meso'a [74]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Clan Ordo, Coruscant, Gen, Mandalorian, Mandalorian Clan, Mandalorian Culture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:07:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29841975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PitoyaPTx/pseuds/PitoyaPTx
Summary: "I didn't think I'd see you two again." ~DovinIt's finally time to bring Cara back to her brother, but things have changed since they last saw him.
Series: Clan Meso'a [74]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1261364
Kudos: 1





	Episode 74: Dovin

“This is it.”   
The trio paused outside the hyperlift of an apartment complex that seemed to span multiple levels, most of which extended down below them. The facade was unremarkable compared to the other buildings around them; the only thing identifying it as a residence and not one of the many businesses tucked between the stacks was a sign reading “Delta Suites: Central''. Beon double checked the address he’d found before they set off across the maze of walkways. It wasn’t too hard to find the place both physically and on the holonet, but Beon had to enlist the help of one of the Clan’s hired slicers. Vaya Seaton, Dovin’s wife, was the daughter of a well known environmental lobbyist, so finding their place of business was a cinch. However, Beun didn’t think it would be appropriate to deliver a dead body to their office. Luckily for them, it seemed Vaya and Wiltso hadn’t been living in this complex for more than a few months, meaning an online housing agreement was within the slicers reach...metaphorically speaking. Beon was surprised the agreement listed three occupants. It was possible that he and Vaya were already expecting, which only made Beon feel worse for having to do this.  
“These are just..public?” asked Fent, nodding to the panel beside the double doors that featured unit numbers with their corresponding household name.   
“I guess there isn’t as much crime on this level,” Beon suggested with a shrug.   
Beun shook her head and punched the button next to “Unit 0022: Seaton”.   
“They take their safety for granted in the Core,” she said, crossing her arms, “Especially up here. You can tell by the way they walk.”   
“Heh, even the worst pickpocket could have swiped a thousand credits before even one of those dust buckets caught on,” Fent chuckled. He cleared his throat when neither companion commented; Beon was shredding the end of his cloak between his fingers with how nervous he was. Dovin could have forgotten about them. That wouldn’t stop them from delivering the news, but maybe… maybe he wouldn’t blame them for what happened. Beon hadn’t voiced that bit to Fent. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if Dovin blamed them, seeing as he already blamed himself, but hearing it out loud from the real victim made Beon’s chest hurt.   
Beside the panel a circular cutout pulled back, revealing the black bubble of a camera above a small intercom.   
“Seaton residence,” said a woman’s voice, “How can I help...you…”   
There was a pause, and then, “Please leave, we don’t want any trouble, thank you.”   
The intercom and camera disappeared behind the cutout once more. Beun sighed and pressed the button again, re-summoning the intercom.   
“We’re not here to cause you trouble,” she said as she held down the white button below the camera, “but we need to speak to you and your husband.”   
“We have no business with Mandalorians,” came the woman’s flustered reply, “Please leave.”   
“She sounds scared,” said Fent, his jaw aching from nervously clenching and unclenching it, “Maybe we should go before-”   
“It’s about Cara,” said Beon suddenly, holding Beun’s finger down on the button.   
She elbowed him away and pulled her hand back, massaging the finger he so carelessly smashed. Another pause... then:   
“Cara?”   
It was a man’s voice. Beon nodded.   
The hyperlift gave a shudder and the doors opened. 

Beon’s thumb punched through his cloak by the time they reached their destination. Fent was rolling his jaw back and forth, making a hollow popping sound each time; Beun had her arms crossed again but she hadn’t said anything since they’d entered the lift. Maybe she didn’t have anything to say or she realized this next part wasn’t hers to lead. She was standing behind the casket, now, looking more like hired security than anything else. I’ll keep it that way, she thought, taking a deep breath and leaning her head back against the wall. I’ve delivered enough bad news to last a lifetime. Beon’s anxiety only rose with each identical, burgundy-carpeted floor they passed. They saw no one, other than a janitorial human who spooked when she saw them; a part of Beon felt that was for the better. He’d learned that grief tended to be a private matter. Mandalorians often dealt with it publicly as mourning was shared throughout the clan; though that didn’t mean there wasn't private pain to be dealt with. All three hunters were well acquainted with that. Beon could only imagine what Dovin’s grief might be. He was trying not to and his face was screwed up behind his helmet from the effort. Fent was taking deep breaths now that the lift was slowing down. He’d stopped rolling his jaw, though the urge to continue made it hurt even more somehow.   
“Just remember what Jiik told us,” said Beun over the closed channel, “Knowing too much could put them in danger.”   
Beon and Fent nodded. “It just feels wrong,” said the latter, shifting his weight from left to right, “I don’t like having to lie to them.”   
“But what choice do we have?” Beon said bitterly, remorse forming a ball of sour bile in his throat.   
Beun reached out and took them both by the shoulders, leaning over the casket to pull them back towards her.   
“It’ll be alright,” she said, “and we’ll be out of here before you know it. Jiik already sent me our orders.”   
Beon was about to ask “for what” when Fent slapped his arm and suddenly straightened up. The hyperlift had come to a stop and the doors gave a loud rumble before opening up on yet another burgundy-carpeted hallway… and a young man with an auburn beard who was there to meet them.   
“Dovin Wiltso,” said Beon quickly, trying to collect himself, “We-”   
“I know, Beon,” Dovin said, his eyes traveling down from the Twi’lek’s visor to the casket. “Come in.” He gestured to the agape door on his left, then slowly disappeared inside.   
Beon blinked, startled by his curtness. He took a deep breath and stepped out of the lift, Cara’s casket at his heels. Fent swallowed hard and lagged slightly as he and Beun followed.  
An overwhelming floral aroma was the first to hit them when they stepped over the threshold. Whereas the hallway was bare, save a few benches and fake plants, Dovin and Vaya’s home was like a miniature rainforest with how humid and fragrant it was. Plants covered countertops and side tables, vines cascaded out of high wall planters, and miniature trees punctuated every corner. In between the greenery, the decadence of Coruscant living peaked through like gilded eyes surveying them from under a canopy of exotic ferns. Antique vases, golden lampshades, statues of elegantly poised figures, and rugs embroidered with intricate patterns created a rigid juxtaposition to the overflowing natural vegetation implanted throughout the space. Soft yellow light from various lamps and overhead fixtures gave it all a hazy, almost sleepy feel. Beun caught herself yawning when she passed the entryway flanked by two thin trees with branches hanging within helmet-snagging distance. It was like passing into a different world, a beautiful and idyllic world… one that would be shattered any moment now.   
Dovin didn’t wait for them and he set a rather quick pace from the hall into the foyer of their home. Truth be told, the human was only barely recognizable now. The Seatons evidently weren’t a fan of his more rugged features. They’d let him keep the beard (although it was far more well kept than before), but they’d trimmed his hair back to a neat crop and exchanged his stained coveralls for flowing emerald robes piped with silver foil. He looked far more like one of the exotic ferns than he did the handyman they’d met back on Tatooine. It must be for the better, Beon thought, as he, Fent, and Beun filed into the apartment. He seemed...well enough.   
Dovin was passing by the planters with ease, the hem of his robes narrowly escaping prickly plants covered in bright pink blossoms. Fent had to rescue his hood from a vine who’s flowering buds had just caught it as he passed beneath; Beun dodged out of they way of a large fern who’s leaf had been pushed out of the way by Beon’s pauldron, only to come snapping back at his sister’s face. She muttered a curse as she dodged it and struggled to keep pace when another plant snagged onto her kama. She pried it off gently, not gently enough to keep her from crushing one of the delicate white flowers, however.   
“It’s fine!” said a flustered woman with short black hair who’d rushed over to Beun and began untangling the rest of the hunter from the plant. “It always does that.”   
Beon and Fent paused and looked back at her.   
“This is Vaya,” said Dovin from behind them. She smiled awkwardly, clutching the skirt of her emerald-and-silver dress in a half-curtsy.   
“I, um,” she stammered, her brown eyes traveling down from the hunters to the casket. “I-”   
“We talked about this, Vie,” said Dovin almost matter-of-factly.   
She nodded, lips pressed tightly together and tears welling up in her eyes.   
Beon’s heart sank. “You knew?”  
Dovin shook his head, “No, not about Cara. We,” he paused and took a long breath, “We went to Tatooine, to visit...to convince my father to let us take Cara.”   
“I’m sorry,” said Fent, wanting to put a hand on Dovin’s shoulder but instead balling his hand into a fist at his side.   
“No,” Dovin shook his head again, “Thank you. For burying him.”   
Beon and Fent looked at each other.   
“You’re welcome,” said Beun before the boys could respond, “And we’re sorry it took so long to bring Cara back to you. There were some...complications.”   
Dovin nodded. “I thought so,” he said, his voice hitching on his words.   
Vaya let out a sound before turning and disappearing into the wall of fauna between them and what looked like a bedroom.


End file.
